


Craft Fair

by DavidsTherapyChicken



Category: Schitt's Creek
Genre: Anxious David Rose, Anxious Patrick Brewer, Fluff, M/M, POV Patrick Brewer, Patrick Brewer is a Button, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-27
Updated: 2020-12-15
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:54:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,969
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27731860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DavidsTherapyChicken/pseuds/DavidsTherapyChicken
Summary: Some sort of seasonal craft fair. Maybe it's each weekend over the holiday season or a sustained week or two? But David has a table to sell hand crafted goods (maybe a pilot for Rose Apothecary?) and Patrick is the craft fair manager. I'm thinking enemies to lovers to start out? David thinks the space is bigger than it is (like he brings a table that's too long and Patrick won't let him get away with it). And he doesn't follow the signage rules and he's a pain in Patrick's butt. But Patrick doesn't mind because David is so dang charming when he's mad.
Relationships: Patrick Brewer/David Rose
Comments: 17
Kudos: 58
Collections: Schitt's Creek: Frozen Over (2020)





	1. Harvest Moon - I Watched you from Afar

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by Anonymous in the [SCFrozenOver2020](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/SCFrozenOver2020) collection. 



> I think I stuck to the Spirit of the prompt. I hope so. I've lengthened the time frame of the fair and David has already opened Rose Apothecary. But they do get off to a rocky start. And Patrick is charmed.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Patrick meets David and is immediately smitten, but David - not so much.

Patrick couldn’t help smiling at the man in front of him who had the most expressive face and hand gestures he’d ever seen even though his current expression was mainly annoyance and that annoyance was laser-focused on Patrick. Maybe it was his beauty and grace that stopped Patrick’s own annoyance from rising or maybe it was the hint of anxiety he thought he saw under David’s bravado. 

Patrick was currently very glad he had agreed to manage The Elm Lake Harvest Moon to Winter Moon Arts and Crafts, Food and Music Indoor Fair for 10 weekends. He hadn't been enthusiastic at first but it wasn’t like he had anything better to do as he was new to the Schitt's Creek/Greater Elms region and didn’t really have a social group. And as Ray, his boss and roommate, had so kindly pointed out, it would be a chance for him to get out of the house and meet people. That was something he knew he should want to do. And now with David Rose standing in front of him being gorgeous and ranting at him, he knew the fair would really be worth it just for having met David.

David was currently waving his hand over the table he would be using to display his products. “Okay, this is just incorrect. I can’t display these so my customers will have an optimal experience. What am I supposed to do now, Patrick, tell me because I have promised my vendors and I just can’t… Ray told me there would be twice as much space...this is….and why are you smiling at me? This is serious.” 

Patrick schooled his face into what he hoped was a serious expression. “Sorry David. Listen, I’m sorry for the miscommunication, but all the stalls are the same size and as you can see we have a lot of vendors at the fair this year.” He tried smiling his most accommodating customer service smile. David frowned back at him. “Everybody has the same-sized table, but maybe you can put up some shelves or something.” He offered. 

‘’Ugh, fine. I’ll figure something out. Thank you for your...um....help.” he said with another enchanting but dismissive hand wave. Patrick told David he was welcome with the sincerity of someone who had been sincerely thanked and moved off to get to know the other vendors and answer their questions.

As Patrick worked his way around the floor he was impressed with the variety and creativity of the offerings at the fair. When Ray had told him it featured any kind of arts and crafts, food and music he worried that it would be a mess, but it wasn’t. The fair had been running for 7 years and by reading Ray’s copious notes and talking to the longtime vendors he was getting a very clear idea how things worked. And he felt the ennui that had become part of his being lifting somewhat. The fair was a fun project; the vendors were excited to be here and their excitement made him feel excited too and like he wanted to make their experience good - optimal even.

Optimal - that’s not a word he’d usually use. Clearly David was taking up space in his brain and if he was honest with himself, he’d been thinking about David all day, and he couldn’t help but look over every now and then to where David was busy explaining his products to customers. The expansive arm waving gestures had been reduced to graceful movements of his large hands and his face was warm and open. Patrick found him fascinating. David had been brusque and demanding with him but still watching David with his customers, he wanted all that attention focused on him. 

Later, that afternoon, Patrick stopped by the stained glass artist, Chandra’s stall to admire her Christmas ornaments and chat, and if David’s stall happened to be easy to see from here, that was just good fortune. Chandra’s work was lovely. She’d hung her smaller works at the front and they were a mix of vibrant colours portrayed in traditional Christmas-themed ornaments. The back of her stall featured larger works which at first glance looked like abstract arrangements of greens, blues, greys and bits of red and orange, but when he looked closely he realized looked like penises. “Those are interesting,” he said to Chandra. “Are they....”

“Yes, they are. I have a whole series of vulvas too. Are you interested in buying one?”

Patrick imagined the elegant work hung on the loud floral wallpaper of the room he was renting from Ray and laughed. “Those are much too lovely for where I’m living now, but maybe when I get my own place.”

“Yes, I heard you’re staying at Ray’s. How’s that going?” she asked.

Patrick smiled genuinely. “Honestly, good. Ray is an excellent roommate. We get along well. He’s very sociable.”

“That he is.” laughed Chandra. “You know when I first moved to the area, he went out of his way to introduce me around. I can be a bit shy. It really helped.” Over her shoulder, he saw David look up. Their eyes caught and held for several seconds before David turned back to the customer he was helping. Patrick felt the tips of his ears grow pink as he looked away.

Chandra looked amused, “That David Rose is an interesting guy, isn’t he?” Patrick worked hard to nod nonchalantly. “And you know, his idea for a store is really great. It’s going to really help us local artists. He’s already talked to me about featuring some of my work there.” Patrick congratulated her and encouraged her to continue talking about David. He could see that she was on to him so there was no point in being subtle. She told him about how the Rose family had arrived in Schitt’s Creek, how they’d eventually blended into the community and how David was going to transform the abandoned General Store into something exciting for local artisans and crafters. “You should go talk to him. I can see you want to. Go. Talk to him.”

Patrick went. David looked up and frowned as he saw him approach folding his arms tightly across his chest. Clearly, Patrick hadn’t made a great impression earlier so he put on his most winsome smile as he asked David how his day had been.

“Why?” Did you think I’d fail? Patricks mouth fell open, “You were very condescending to me this morning, and don’t think I’ve seen you watching me all day” Patrick spluttered, trying to reassure him, but David cut him off. “Look, I don’t care alright. I came here to meet customers and other vendors so I don’t really care what some buttoned up businessman thinks of me." Patrick stood transfixed at a loss. "I have to start packing up for the day now.” David made shooing motions with his big, graceful hands. ”If you don’t mind.” He gave Patrick one last hard stare, turned his back and started placing bottles of moisturizer into boxes as he muttered goodbye.

Patrick felt like he’d just had a bucket of cold water poured over his head. He stood silently for a minute, his face flushed with the rush of emotions swirling through him. Embarrassment and anger rose to the fore and pushed him to move. As he walked quickly to his desk at the back of the building, he could feel the eyes of the vendors who’d heard the whole interaction looking at him sympathetically and that did not make him feel better. At his desk he shuffled papers around trying to look busy and counting down the time until he could leave.


	2. I am Aglow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rachel is a good friend and sometimes Stevie helps.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I sort of lost my sense of direction after Chapter 1, so I've relied heavily on my love of dialogue to get me through the rest of this work. I hope it works.

A week later, Patrick stood in front of his closet doing something he’d never done before. He was worrying about what to wear. Even though he’d left the fair last week, determined not to think of David, he’d spent the better part of the week thinking of him, and his scowl, and his graceful hands, and now here he was worrying about what a man who probably hadn’t thought about him at all would think of his outfit. Finally, exasperated with himself, he pulled on his usual jeans and a blue sweater - at least it wasn’t a button up. That was the best he could do as far as trying a different look. Then he laughed at himself and shook his head. He recognized his own need to be in control, and remembered the telephone conversation he’d had with his best friend, Rachel when he got home last Saturday.

“So I did the first weekend of the fair I told you about today.”  
“Ah, right. The harvest moon festival thing? What’s that about again?” Rachel already knew the answer, but Patrick knew she just wanted to hear him say a ridiculous thing in a serious voice.

“It’s the Elm Lake Harvest Moon to Winter Moon Arts, Food and Music Fair. The harvest moon is the full moon closest to the autumn equinox.” But he’d called to complain and he wasn’t going to be sidetracked by Rachel’s gentle teasing. “Anyway this guy basically told me I was bad at my job.”

“Really? Some guy told you that?” asked Rachel.

“This guy named David. One of the vendors.”

“One of the vendor’s at the Harvest Moon festival said you were bad at your job?” Rachel’s skeptical tone started to chip away at his irritation. 

“Well, pretty much.” answered Patrick.

“Okay, well what did he actually say?” she asked.

“He called me a buttoned up business man.”

“Well to be fair Patrick, I’ve seen how you dress. He’s not wrong. Is that all he said?”

“Well no, not...like... not exactly.”

“I’m sorry I’m just trying to figure out like when he told you you were bad at your job.”

“Okay maybe he didn’t say that exactly, but it was insinuated. He said I was condescending and when I didn’t even say anything. And he’s the one that said my clothes were bad, so who’s condescending?.”

“Okay. So you know that I know you’re not condescending Patrick, but you can come across a little...well.”

“A little what Rachel?”

“Well, you kind of like to take charge of things. You want to be...in control” Patrick opened his mouth to protest. But then he remembers how much of his relationship with Rachel had been so comfortable because he felt in control. He knew what was expected of him and he could plan. That was his comfort zone. And then he remembered David’s anxious eyes from that morning. And his warmth and enthusiasm interacting with the customers. Maybe David wasn’t a jerk. Maybe he just felt out of his comfort zone. He felt his anger softening into empathy.

“Okay you know what? I’m going through it right now and I can see how he might have been somewhat stressed. And I might have made it worse.”

After talking to Rachel, Patrick spent a lot of the week thinking about David and planning what he would say to him. He was good at plans and usually found the process calming. But it wasn’t working this time. He kept being distracted by the David of it all. The way he moved, his cute sideways smile, his voice, and his beautiful expressive eyes. He was crushing hard and the more he tried to plan, the more flustered he felt. He smoothed his sweater over his body one more time and turned away from the mirror before he could second guess himself again.

He arrived at the converted firehouse that housed the fair as well as a year round farmer’s market just in time to let in several vendors who were waiting to be let in to set up. David was not among them and after rehearsing several different scenarios where Patrick won David over with his wit and charm, he felt a bit deflated.

David arrived fifteen minutes before opening and he wasn’t alone. He had brought a woman with long dark hair to help him set up and she appeared to be staying for the day. This upset Patrick’s plan to approach David for a private apology, not that there would have been much of a chance anyway. The fair was busy. Patrick had to help Gerri, the harpist, find a better spot to set up her instrument, and find a table that didn’t wobble for the potter, Mihui. By that time he finished helping Mihui set up her delicate tea sets and vases inspired by traditional Korean designs, it was mid-morning and the market was in full swing. He began making his rounds, checking in with the vendors. 

He approached David’s stall cautiously, but perhaps because of the presence of his friend who introduced herself as Stevie, David seemed less tense than he had been the week before. David and Stevie bickered back and forth in a way that people who are really comfortable with each other do. He found it charming and Stevie easily pulled him into her teasing of David. David rolled his eyes at them and complained about an unbalanced social dynamic but seemed pretty unphased. and Patrick noticed David’s eyes run lingeringly over his sweater and when his eyes met Patricks, his cheeks seemed more flushed than usual. Then a group of elderly women descended on David’s stall and he and Stevie were busy answering their questions about skin care. Patrick left David and Stevie to their work feeling lighter and with skin tingling from the warmth of David’s gaze.

As the day progressed, Patrick had a feeling he wouldn’t get any chance at a private talk with David anytime soon, so he made a couple more rounds and settled in at his desk to work on paperwork he’d brought with him from his weekday job at Ray’s hoping he could catch David as he was leaving for the day. He was deep into the intricacies of figuring out an integrated booking system for Ray’s many business ventures when he heard someone clearing their throat and looked up to see David standing in front of him looking gorgeous in a black sweater with red trim at the wrists and waist and twisting the silver rings he wore on his fingers. 

“Um, hi.” said David.

“David. Have a seat. How can I help you?” Patrick was relieved to see David alone and couldn’t resist smiling at him as David perched on the edge of a chair. 

“So, it was brought to my attention that I might have overreacted last week, so I just want to apologize.” he said while looking anywhere but at Patrick.

Shocked Patrick, blurted out, “What? No, you don’t need to. I mean I upset you so I really should be the one to…”

“No really, I want to.” David interrupted, “I was kind of mean. You’re doing a really good job here. All the vendors really like you. And Stevie reminded me, I can be a little...um....”

“Passionate?” David’s wide eyes flew up to meet his. Heat started to rise in Patrick’s cheeks as he realized the suggestive nature of the word he’d chosen. But he forced his eyes to remain locked into David’s hot gaze. 

“No. Um, intense.” He said, holding Patrick’s gaze for a moment that felt like an eternity. Patrick forgot to breathe and it seemed that David was as affected as he was, as he suddenly inhaled and then started talking really fast, ”So I’m gonna go. I gotta get back. I mean I’m paying Stevie in wine and she’ll make me give her two cases if I don’t...so...um.” He said as he stood up.” 

“Okay. I’ll see you next week, David.”said Patrick, surprised at his ability to speak normally, given the vortex of emotion and desire he’d just been thrown into.

“You too. I mean I’ll see you then.” David gave him one more intense look, then squeezed his eyes shut and flung his head back, before turning to hurry back to his stall.

Patrick watched him go unable to stop a huge grin from overtaking his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Chapter Title is from "I am Aglow" by Sarah Harmer. The lyrics are below.
> 
> I am aglow with thoughts of you  
> Are the stories that you told me true?  
> It doesn't matter if they are  
> They are to me  
> I am aglow  
> Some might say these thoughts are wrong  
> That you might see yourself in this song  
> I hope that you don't mind if you do  
> I am aglow with thoughts of you  
> Does it matter that what I remember might be  
> Just my own imagination painting scenes more pretty  
> Is it obvious? Does it show?  
> With thoughts of you I am aglow  
> Some might say I'm thinking in sin  
> So I'll just sit back and take you in  
> You're a map of a place; maybe someday I'll go  
> With thoughts of you I am aglow…


	3. The Snow is Softly Falling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Patrick really, really want's to ask David out. Will he work up the courage to do it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, this fair runs for 10 weeks (If you're counting, theres no fair on Remembrance Day, November 11), but as much as I'd like to I'm not going to be able to post a chapter for every week. So this chapter skips ahead a bit as will Chapter 4.

On the third week of the fair, Patrick arrived early and with a spring in his step. He’d lived in the Greater Elm region for six months and finally felt like he was putting down some roots. 

The previous Saturday, after the fair had closed for the evening, he’d gone for drinks and karaoke with a group of younger vendors and musicians from the fair. They were a friendly familiar group who easily folded Patrick into their midst and the conversation flowed easily. He found himself telling them about his high school band and about performing at open mic nights during university, and then singing Daniel by Elton John with a surprising level of comfort given that he hadn’t really performed since moving to Schitt’s Creek. He discovered that Brian the flautist, and Martin and Maria, the brother sister duo who performed a mix of folk, country and indie pop got together to talk about and play music on Thursday evenings. After hearing his karaoke performance, they asked if he played any instruments and invited him to hang out with them on Thursday. He also made plans with Kai, the owner of one of the fair’s cafe’s, to go hiking the next day. That was two more social events than he’d had any other week that he’d lived here. He felt glad even though he knew Ray would be self-satisfied about being right.

Patrick had forgotten how important hanging out with a group was to him. He felt revitalized and he had a plan. He wanted to get to know more about David's business. If he was being honest he really wanted to know everything about David. But thinking his attraction made him feel too out of control, so he decided to work on his very real curiosity about David the businessman, whose store was a hub for local artists. Patrick had noticed that David had to have a coffee and something sweet to get going in the morning, so he stopped by Kai’s stall to thank him for showing him the hiking trail and to casually ask for David’s coffee order. Kai grinned knowingly but handed over the coffee and Patrick’s tea along with two scones without comment.

“Hey” Patrick said, casually to David.

“Hi” “Oh, thank you” “ Oh you know my order.” He seemed surprised but pleased. The shy smile blossomed into a full grin when Patrick presented the scone.

David was clearly hungry, so Patrick waited a bit before saying, “Hey David. Um, I was wondering, could you tell me more about your store”

“Um, Why?” asked David.

“Well I’m a business consultant. I've heard so much from the vendors about how important you are to them, so...” Patrick trailed off.

“Well, it’s an immersive experience that brings local artisans together under my brand. Is that what you want to know?” he asked. “They sell their products on consignment, and I take care of all the marketing for them, and provide a one-stop shopping experience for customers.” 

“It sounds like you work very hard," said Patrick and followed up with teasing, "and I love the name. Rose Apothecary. It’s just pretentious enough”

“Oh thanks. I think you meant to say timeless, though.” Patrick felt a rush. Was that flirting? It felt like flirting. Suddenly, he felt flustered.

“Well, I should…”He stammered, but then a customer was there and David's eyes released his as his attention shifted. Patrick left that interaction feeling on balance pretty good. He'd forgotten to give David his card but he'd managed a short conversation without babbling too much. Besides the card gave him an excuse to talk to David again.

“Hey.”

"Hi."

“I just came back to give you my card in case you … you know...have any questions...about business questions." said Patrick.

“Oh, about business questions” David’s eyes were so soft and warm. “Well, thanks. I will...do that.”

Patrick felt himself melting under David's gaze, but he desperately held on to his rational businessman communication skills, “Yeah, so, there are grants you can get when you’re helping out local businesses. I can help you with that if you...want me. Want me to do that, I mean.” 

“Oh that’s. You don’t have to do that.”

“I want to”

Two days after Patrick had given David his card, he found a series of befuddled and charming voicemails from David. The messages gave him hope and Patrick thought, maybe David sounded a little flustered. Maybe David felt the same butterflies when he thought about Patrick, as he felt when he thought about David. But then, maybe David was just nervous about asking for help with his business. Patrick listened to the messages more times than he’d ever admit even to himself and he’d embarrassed himself terribly when he’d played them for Rachel to get her opinion and she’d teased him mercilessly. 

“I like this for you.” she said.

“What do you mean?”

“I like seeing you out of your comfort zone. It’s good to see you lose your cool a bit. It makes you more… I don’t know... more relatable, I guess.” 

“Great. I’m glad, me falling apart is good for you.” He grumbled.

“Look Patrick. You’re going to have to talk to David about this. Just ask him. Be direct like I know you can. You won’t know if you don’t ask.”

Patrick knew she was right. And he tried. He really tried. Talking to David at the fair was a no go. They were both so busy there and surrounded by people. So Patrick visited Rose Apothecary determined to ask David out before he left.

He came with the grant paperwork for the store and offered to go over it with him. And that was part of the problem. Instead of going on a date, they ended up going over the paperwork. And that was all. After his initial stumbling attempt to talk to David about Rose Apothecary, Patrick had grown more settled. In Patrick-business advisor mode, Patrick was relatively confident. He and David had fallen into an easygoing, teasing back and forth. But he couldn’t tell if David was into him. Were they flirting, or did they just have a rapport as business associates? At his most despairing, Patrick was sure that a former gallerist who wore designer sweaters could never be into him. But sometimes the warmth in David’s eyes with the crooked smiles seemed like they were meant only for him.

By week six of the fair, Patrick was a bundle of frayed nerves. He’d been trying to ask David on a date for four weeks and hadn’t been successful and it was snowing steadily reminding him that there was only one month of the fair left. The problem was, he was so smitten, that he felt shy and tongue-tied, whenever he tried to do it. He didn’t know what to do with this version of himself. Asking women out had never felt this momentous. But with David, he felt like he had the time he’d been in a high school production of "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead" and had gone blank on stage. He would rehearse what he wanted to say and then when he was in front of David the words were gone. And anytime he worked up the courage to do it for real, David would be overrun with customers, or the other vendors would need his attention, or Stevie would be there. It felt so frustrating. The problem was the stakes were much higher than he was used to. He was used to being in control, calm and cool. 

Kai smirked at him knowingly as they went through the same ritual they had for the past three Saturdays.“Why Patrick, whatever brings you to my little cafe?”

Patrick rolled his eyes and recited the order he knew Kai had memorized, “Tea, two blueberry scones and um...a caramel macchiato.”

“Sure. any special instructions for that macchiato?” Kai asked innocently.

“Ha ha. Very funny.”

“So when are you going to ask him out?” 

“I don’t know. I can never seem to find the right time.” Patrick whined.

“Well, no time like the present. Off you go. I’m getting sick of your pining face” said Kai, not unkindly.

"I don't have a pining..." Kai raised their eyebrows. "Okay, okay, I'm going." he sighed.

Patrick knew Kai was right. He was getting sick of himself. He wasn’t surprised his friends were sick of his moping too. He just had to get over himself and do it.

Patrick marched resolutely over to David’s stall, handed him his coffee, gazed into his eyes and said “Hey, David. A bunch of us go for drinks after closing. Do you want to come with?” That was not what he’d intended to ask. He meant to ask him on a date but then David was looking at him and that came out of his mouth. His heart was pounding and he wanted to hide his face in his hands. But instead he shoved his hands into his pockets and plastered a smile on his face. 

“Um, oh, sure. That sounds like fun.” David’s smile looked weird. It didn’t show in his eyes the same way it usually did. But Patrick was too busy kicking himself for losing his nerve and then convincing himself that hanging out with David in a group might take off some of the pressure that he wasn’t paying close attention to David’s expressions.

By the time David stopped by his desk at mid-afternoon, Patrick was almost sure that spending time with David in a casual group setting was a good idea. But David was twisting his rings looking vulnerable and looking down at the desk and telling Patrick that he was too tired and besides he wasn’t great at group work. As David turned to go, everything Rachel and Kai had been telling him suddenly clicked into place. He was finally out of his own head.

“David?” his voice rushed out of him.

“Yes?”

“We could go just the two of us...for drinks… if you’d...like that?” Patrick asked.

“Okay. Um yes, I'd like that very much” David's crooked smile made an appearance.

“Then, it’s a date.” Patrick smiled at David.

“Okay” David's crooked smile morphed into a full grin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chapter title is from "Song for a Winter's Night" by Gordon Lightfoot


	4. Winter Solstice - Love and Happiness Surround you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Patrick and David have been dating for 4 weeks and are looking forward to a very happy new year.

Patrick couldn’t help smiling at the man in front of him who had the most expressive face and hand gestures he’d ever seen; his current expression was tender and was laser-focused on Patrick as Patrick handed him his coffee. David set the coffee on his table and leaned in to thank him with a soft kiss that immediately became more involved as their arms wrapped around each other.

Patrick felt the same indefinable feeling as he’d felt on their first date. He felt engulfed in a trembling excitement at the same time as he felt like he was home. And now he knew that David felt the same. He’d taken David to a quiet little restaurant that was all window so that it felt like they were alone surrounded by the newly fallen snow. They laughed about how they’d both been trying to ask each other out and couldn’t get out of their own heads. They’d talked for hours about their pasts, their families and their future dreams. And somehow it had been easy. When he walked David to his car, they kissed and that was easy too.

“Ugh, are they always like this?” Patrick dimly heard Rachel’s voice pulling him back to the present through the haze of feeling David’s mouth on his.

“Yup. Pretty much.” said Stevie.

Patrick reluctantly pulled away from David’s mouth, but kept his arm firmly wrapped around his waist. He couldn’t help but smile at his friends. David ignored Stevie and Rachel and pulled Patrick’s face in for one more kiss. “Okay, you have to go now, or I’ll never get any work done.”

Stevie scoffed, “I don’t know how you two ever get any work done. You were making out in the back of the store every time I came in this week.”

“Okay. Don’t you have someplace to be?” David answered.

“Nope.” 

Rachel and Patrick shared an amused look. She’d been in town for one evening and was already well-versed in David and Stevie’s bickering love language.

“Hey Stevie, would you like to walk around the fair with me?” Rachel broke the glaring contest David and Stevie were engaged in. So Stevie went off with Rachel, and Patrick kissed David once more and went off to make his last circuit around to see all the vendors. It took much longer than us

It was the last day of the fair and two days past the winter solstice. The days already felt longer and brighter. Patrick was so happy that he’d been convinced to manage the Elm Lake Harvest Moon to Winter Moon Arts, Foods and Music Indoor Fair. Its ridiculous name notwithstanding, it had been a place of joy and discovery for him. While he’d felt adrift and depressed ten weeks earlier, he now felt part of a community. He had friends. He had purpose. He had plans to play baseball in the spring. He’d offered to partner David at Rose Apothecary. And after wrapping up the fair, he would go to the after party with David. His parents were coming to town for Christmas, and they would all be spending Christmas Eve with David’s family. He was looking forward to the excitement of the holidays, but even more, he couldn't wait to live day to day building his life with David. He knew he’d found his person and he was finally home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Chapter title comes from "Wintersong" by Sarah MacLachlan.

**Author's Note:**

> The chapter title comes from Harvest Moon by Neil Young.


End file.
